Almost Unopenable Sequel
by KatPeeta23
Summary: This is basically the sequel to Almost Unopenable. It is strongly advised that you read that first before reading this. Is Ethan really Katniss's Dad, or is it someone else?
1. Chapter 1

I run my fingers over the delicate skin on my wrist where the tattoo is. It's a circle outlined in black. Inside, there's a surf board for my friend Finnick, a smile for my other friend, Annie who is always smiling, a middle finger for Johanna, who couldn't be described better, a loaf if bread for my boyfriend who I miss so much it suffocates my heart of every drip of happiness. There's the black music note for me.

It couldn't describe us better.

College graduation.

It's scary, but it's one event I will never forget.

We haven't had time to Skype or FaceTime since we started Junior year of college, which began two years ago in exactly three months from this day. It's June seventh and I'm in my gown. My entire family, even my douche father are here. We have texted and called.

I know I look different. Somehow, I managed to grow a few inches, my hair is down to almost my ass, I'm tan and my New York accent that I grew up with is back.

When I go see them tomorrow I know they're gonna give me shit for it.

I am the last to graduate and we're meeting in Flridia at Finnick and Annie's beach house.

"Katniss J, Everdeen." My name is called for graduation. My heart hammers as I walk up to the stage.

I shake his hand and take the diploma. My mind is too foggy to remember his name. My family is hooting and clapping and screaming.

My father, who beat me and nearly raped me as a child even seems happy. My little sister, Rosie, sheMs now six and in Kindergarten, and my other sister, Prim, she's in her senior year, seventeen years old. Me? I'm twenty one. I've never drank, another thing I'll get shit for.

I can't wipe the stupid grin off my face as I sit down in my seat next to my friend.

I was worried about having no friends for nothing. People from my high school go here, and from middle school. I guess being one if the most popular people really paid off.

I clap through the rest if the ceremony, and we toss our caps and then my family engulfs me in suffocating hugs so tight I fight for air.

I want to bring Megan to Florida.

We were friends from Freshmen year f high chill to Junior year, sort of. She was quiet like me. I guess senior year changed the both of us and we've fought for our place.

She's one if my closest friends now.

My family insisted on throwing some gigantic party at Uncle Haymitch's house here.

I stay with Megan, talking to all of the people I know, forcing myself to be nice to my father. He looks happy and heathy and he smiles and he doesn't act like a dick

My phone beeps with a message.

Johanna: bitch!

Johanna: hey. So I'm gonna bring my friend. Her names Kelsey

It's a group message.

Peeta: is it bad that in laughing so hard I nearly pissed myself?

I'm laughing too, actually

There's a whole thing with the name Kelsey in our group.

Johanna: yeah, I got a kick out of her fucking name too, and she wouldn't talk to me when we first met because I gave her shit for it

Finn: KITTY DID YOU GO TO GRADUATION YET?

Me: uh yeah In at the party with Megan

Literally three seconds later my phone is ringing with a phone call for a group call.

I accept it.

"Yes?"

They all start screaming congratulations, and even over the loud music, I can still hear them.

"Wow, uh...thanks."

I mange to disguise my New York accent while I'm in the phone but in person I'm going to slip up.

"Who's on the phone?" Megan asks.

"Katniss get off the phone!" Josh complains. He's another friend, but it's simply friendly. I flick then off and sneak outside.

"Was that Josh?" Peeta asks.

"Yeah."

"You guys are um...staying friendly, right?"

I laugh softly. "I told you I wasn't cheating and I meant it. Look, I've really got to go. I'll see you guys, okay?"

"Okay." They say.

I hang up and go back in the house.

I am text them.

Me: can I bring Megan?

Finn: bring whoever you want

Johanna: only if she's over 21

Annie: yeah Kat we're having a party

Me: we are?

Peeta: yes

Me: why am I just not hearing about this?

Me: this could get out of hand. People can get hurt. What if we get too drunk?

Johanna: this is why we didn't tell you, you can fool

Me: suck a dick

Johanna: I just did

Me: wait, legit?

Johanna: fuck yeah. You two are the only virgins in our little group. U need Ur pussy stretched brainless

Me: Ur fucking sick

Johanna: it's tru

Annie: I'm getting a kick out of this

Finn: it's true, I'm watching her laugh

Me: y r u gys so dumb

Peeta: we get it from you

Peeta: jk

Peeta: sorry. I was kidding

Peeta: Katniss

Peeta: I'm sorry

Me: calm down

Peeta: okay. Sorry

Me: it's kk

"KATNISS!" Megan screams.

"Want to go to Florida?" I ask.

"SHIT YEAH!"

...9...

My plane is landing. Peeta is picking me up from the airport because we all decided we need alone time. That, and, he got off of his flight an hour before I did and he didn't bring his car and I did, so we're just riding together. I changed my mind about bringing Megan.

I feel it touch the ground and I pull out my phone and text Peeta.

Me: I just landed

I shove my phone in my bag because I need to get up.

I get my carry on and wait for the tram. After a half hour of waiting, I manage to catch one.

When it stops, people start filing off. I check my phone, my head down as I walk out with my bag on my shoulder and dig my phone out.

Peeta: perfect. I'm so excited to see you :D

I smile and look up.

And there he is.

He's watching me with a goofy grin on his face. His right hand is in his pocket and his left is scratching the back of his neck.

A huge grin spreads across my lips.

I feel tears start sliding down my cheeks as I drop everything in my hands and run for him. I see heads turn. I slam into him and nearly knock him backwards. He stumbles slightly, and then spins me around. My arms around locked around his neck so tightly that it's hard for us to breathe. His hands are on my waist. He sets me down. "Oh my god." He whispers. He places his hands on my cheeks, running his thumbs along my cheekbones. "God." He whispers again. "I can't believe your here. You have no idea. I love you." He kisses my lips. "I love you," he says again, planting another kiss. "God, I love you. I've missed you. Oh my god." He looks like he's about to cry.

"I love you too. I've missed you so much. Oh my god Peeta." I kiss him. It's short and sweet.

Still, we've never made out. Still, we've never had sex. I think in ready to jump through all the steps. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with him.

What happens after this vacation?

Oh god. I wrap my arms tightly around his waist and pull him against me. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me just as tightly, burying his head in my hair as I hide my head in his chest.

He smells like heaven. He smells familiar. He smells like home.

Slowly, he releases me and holds me at arms length, his hands on my shoulders.

His eyes drag up and down my body for a little bit. "You are still so beautiful." He kisses my jawline and then pulls me over to collect my things. I reach grab them before he can.

He takes my hand and we go to down baggage. When I see my bag and reach for it, he grabs it. "Oh you don't have to do that." I say.

He laughs. Although he already has his one suitcase and carry on, he still insists on taking my four. I have a lot of stuff to give to people.

And I might have brought way too many clothes.

I have the valet guy get my car.

We wait patently outside, and when the guy pulls up in my new car. Peeta looks like he's going to pass out.

For my graduation present, Mom, Haymitch and Prim put their money together to get me a convertible 2014 Jaguar F-Type V8S.

"I love your car." The guy says as he hands me the keys.

I look at Peeta and his mouth is hanging open. "Oh my god." He says. "Holy shit."

I smile and pop the truck. He carefully places all the suitcases in. I toss him the keys after he shuts the trunk. "You're kidding?" He licks his lips and I get that feeling of arousal that I feel every damn time I think of him.

"If you want to drive, you can drive." I peck his lips. "If you don't, then I'll drive."

"I want to drive if that's okay." He says. I smile. "You're adorable."

He opens the passenger door and I get in. He shuts the door and gets I the driver side. He adjusts everything to his needs and sits back with a sigh for a moment, and then starts the car, revs the engine and speeds off.

Finn and Ann live on Clearwater Beach and we are in Orlando, so we'll be getting there in an hour and a half to two hours.

I change the station on the radio multiple times before decided to settle with 101.5.

He links our fingers and with a sigh, I look out the window after putting the top down.

The song Animals by Nickleback comes on as we start driving through the wooded areas of the state.

_I, I'm driving black on black_

_Just got my license back_

_I got this feeling in my veins this train is coming off the track_

_I'll ask polite if the devil needs a ride_

_Because the angel on my right ain't hanging out with me tonight_

_I'm driving past your house while you were sneaking out_

_I got the car door opened up so you can jump in on the run_

_Your mom don't know that you were missing_

_She'd be pissed if she could see the parts of you that I've been kissing_

_Screamin'_

_No, we're never gonna quit_

_Ain't nothing wrong with it_

_Just acting like we're animals_

_No, no matter where we go_

_'Cause everybody knows_

_We're just a couple of animals_

_So come on baby, get in_

_Get in, just get in_

_Check out the trouble we're in_

_You're beside me on the seat_

_Got your hand between my knees_

_And you control how fast we go by just how hard you wanna squeeze_

_It's hard to steer when you're breathing in my ear_

_But I got both hands on the wheel while you got both hands on my gears_

_By now, no doubt that we were heading south_

_I guess nobody ever taught her not to speak with a full mouth_

_'Cause this was it, like flicking on a switch_

_It felt so good I almost drove into the ditch_

_I'm screamin'_

_So come on baby, get in_

_Get in, just get in_

_Check out the trouble we're in_

_We were parked out by the tracks_

_We're sitting in the back_

_And we just started getting busy_

_When she whispered "what was that?"_

_The wind, I think 'cause no one else knows where we are_

_And that was when she started screamin'_

_"That's my dad outside the car!"_

_Oh please, the keys, they're not in the ignition_

_Must have wound up on the floor while_

_we were switching our positions_

_I guess they knew that she was missing_

_As I tried to tell her dad it was her mouth that I was kissing_

_Screamin'_

_So come on baby, get in_

_We're just a couple of animals_

_Get in, just get in_

_Ain't nothing wrong with it_

_Check out the trouble we're in_

_Get in, just get in_

I wonder if it bothers him that we've never made out or had sex, and that in a few months we will be dating for five years.

And we have never made out or had sex.

I shut my eyes for a moment, bite the inside of my cheek as hard as I can without breaking skin, and then I look out the window.

"What's on your mind?" He asks.

I look down at my hands for a moment and sigh. "Does it ever bother you?" I ask.

"Does what ever bother me?"

"The fact that in four months we will be together for five years and we've never made out or...well, you know."

He sighs slowly. "It bugs the crap out of me every day. I don't want to push the boundaries-"

"That's it, Peeta. There isn't any boundaries anymore. I trust you with...with the world. I trust you so damn much that it's dangerous. I'm scared. God, I'm so scared." I shake my head and look back out the window. He pulls over, into the forest far enough that nobody will see us and shuts the car off.

"What are you scared of?"

"That we'll break up."

He's quiet for a minute. "I thought I was the only one afraid of that."

"I'm not just afraid, Peeta. I'm terrified." He's quiet again.

"You know what I want to do?" I ask, grabbing his right hand with my left as he picks the keys up.

"What?" He asks. The two of us can't stop grinning.

"We should test that thing...they they did in that song..."

"Um...doing that while I'm driving is just really not a good idea."

"Well." I unbuckle my seatbelt and scramble over to the backseat.

He stares at me for a few moments, and then he moves over to join me.

After hesitating for a moment, he kisses me. This is completely new territory for us. For a moment, our lips are just pressed together, unmoving. I shut my eyes and then we start moving. His fingers lock on my waist and tug me into his lap. I knot my fingers into his hair and probe at his lip and he gives me access. We fight for dominance, and I can feel the lump in the jeans against my thigh.

God dammit, why did we wait so long to do this?

I gyrate my hips against his hard on. He whimpers and his hands move up from my hips to my sides below my rib cage.

I have never wanted to have sex with someone. I want him so fucking badly that I feel a pressure and an ache in between my thighs. I rock against him harder and both of us moan softly. He flips me onto my back and hovers above me. "You _really_ know how to move your hips." I grin, breathless. "But I have a question." He mumbles.

"Okay, shoot."

"It's been four years. We haven't seen each other in a while. You did stay truthful to me, right?"

"Peeta, of course I did! Did you?"

"Yes I did. A lot of girls have tried to kiss me. I yelled at all of them."

"Do I need to kick someone's ass?"

He leans down so his lips are inches from mine. "No." He whispers. "I really love making out with you."

"I really want..." I eye his hands and then grab his left arm and place it right over my breast. His eyes widen. "This."

"Fuck." He whispers, giving me a gentle squeeze.

"Do I have permission to take your clothes off?"

"Permission granted."

**Sorry for the raunchy stuff. I know some of you tell me not to do it.**


	2. Chapter 2

I refuse to walk retarded, even though I'm sore down there.

It doesn't matter. It still felt incredible.

I'm reaching for Finn and Annie's doorknob when the door is ripped open.

"The main bitches!" Johanna shouts. She hugs both of us and then holds me at arms length and narrows her eyes. She snorts and looks at Peeta. "Either she cheated or you two pulled off to the side of the road."

"What makes you say that?" Peeta asks.

She sweeps my hair off of my shoulder and laughs loudly. "THEY HAD SEX!" She turns around and runs off. "FINNICK! ANNIE! THEY HAD SEX!"

I whip around to Peeta and I see his eyes widen and he quickly moves my hair to cover the right side of my neck. "What?" I ask.

He kisses my lips and whispers, "I gave you a hickey." Then he backs up as Annie and Finn come rushing downstairs.

"Look at you two dipshits!" If nick slaps Peeta on the back hard and then gives him a guy hug. "And you. Damn Kitty!" He taps my cheek and then hugs me. "Are you sore?"

"No." I cross my arms.

"She's lying." Peeta says. "I can see it in her eyes."

"Let's go ta-look at that damn car!" Finn looks over my shoulder, and doesn't bother looking at Peeta. "Haymitch?"

"And Mom and Prim." I say.

"Let's go talk." Johanna says. "I need to tell you guys something."

"Another boyfriend?" Finn asks.

"No this is...this is really serious. Brainless you need to fill us in on your Dad before I start because we all know he's giving you shit."

I sigh. "I don't really feel like talking about him."

"Well do it anyways." She says.

We all go upstairs and sit down in the living room.

"Where's the kitchen?" I ask, being the only one standing.

"There." Finn says. "Why?"

"I want some water."

Johanna burst out laughing suddenly, and the other three are staring at me in surprise.

"What's funny about me wanting-oh, yeah, laugh it up you stupid cunts. I grew up in New York. Of course the accent came back." When is say water, it sounds like 'whata.'

I get a glass from the kitchen and get a huge glass of water.

"Okay, what's going in with your Dad?"

"The same shit. He came to graduation...but I heard him and Haymitch fighting and..." I bite my lip. "Haymich said 'she's my daughter' and Ethan kind of ignored him. I don't know what to believe anymore but I'm almost positive that Haymitch is biologically my Dad."

"But you look exactly like Ethan." Annie frowns.

"That's the thing I don't understand."

"Well..." Peeta frowns. "Didn't you show me a picture of your Mom with dark hair?"

"Yeah, her hair was dark as a kid. Haymitch's was, too."

"When did it lighten?"

"I don't know. Like...four? Six?"

"Well..." Finn frowns. "Both of my parents are brunettes."

"And you have the exact same eyes at Haymitch. Your noses are similar. You have the same personality. You have your mothers smile. Katniss...you could very easily be Haymitch's kid." Annie whispers.

I let out a long sigh. " I just want answers."

"How about you call him?"

"But you need to tell us-"

"This is something I need a lot of time to tell so I really think that you should call him first."

"What are you gonna ask?" Peeta questions.

"I'll wing it." I shrug. I pull out my phone and dial Haymitch and put it on speaker.

"Hey sweetheart." He says. I can hear my mothers voice in the background.

What do I say?

"Are you my Dad?" I blurt.

I hear a loud shriek that's clear as day and then something shatters.

I shut my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath and then open them and look at my friends.

"What?" Haymitch asks.

"I asked if you were my father."

More silence and then I hear an angry whispering fight and then Haymitch hiss something, and then I hear a door click shut, a button being pressed on his phone.

"How'd you figure it out?" I shut my eyes for a moment.

"I heard you tell Ethan I was yours..."

He sighs. "You really weren't supposed to hear that."

"Why the hell didn't you guys tell me?" I feel my anger soar.

"Because-"

"Do you realize that I've always wanted a father who fucking cared?"

"I do care." He says.

"But you weren't there! I was stuck with Ethan! You know he tried to rape me? You didn't ducking care! If you cared-"

"I wasn't there because your mother wouldn't let me go anywhere near you. I was allowed to see you once every five years! If I was allowed to be there, I would have! Do you know how many times I tried to get the cops involved? Your mother hated Christina and when she found out about Scarlett being your sister she wouldn't let you near me! I would have been there if I could, and you have no idea how bad I want to kill my own brother because of what he did to you! Don't get all pissy with me Katniss Joy. It's your mother you need to be pissed at."

I grit my teeth. "You didn't think of going to court because of-"

"Katniss." He sighs loudly. "You were a kid. I was going to go to court, but you were closer with your mother. If I went to court she would've lost custody."

"Why did Ethan hate me so much?" I ask.

"This really isn't a conversation I want to be having over the phone with you." He says. "And your mother needs to be here. And Ethan."

"No."

"Do you think I'm going to let him touch you?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm not home and I can't afford to fly home."

"Then I'm coming to you."

"Haymitch," I warn.

"If that's okay."

Everyone starts nodding he's. "That's fine."

"Ok. Bye Sweetheart."

"Bye." I hang up.

I hear him sigh. Then he hangs up.

HAYMITCH'S POV

I hate the fact that I was not allowed to see my own daughter. Now she calls me Haymitch instead of Dad.

She doesn't understand how much I actually love her and care for her and wish she grew up with me, and that I was the one holding her hand as she took her first steps. I wish I was the one that took her to her first day of school. I wish I was there to threaten all the boys in her life.

I will make sure I do that to Peeta.

I wish I was the one that dropped her off at sleepovers and I was the one that held her when she had nightmares. I wish I was the one that was the father to my daughter.

And I just wish she would call me Dad.

I wish that I was the father that my daughter had needed all of her life.

And I wasn't.

KATNISS'S POV

I stare at my phone for a really long time after that.

"If you want to cry, that's okay." Johanna says. I look at her in surprise. She shrugs. "I've changed."

I get up and begin to pace. It's a very bad habit that I have when I'm stressed, I can't concentrate or I'm trying to wrap my head around something unbelievable.

"All my life I've wanted to have a father that cared about me. I was jealous of the girls at my school. I hated my life. I wanted a dad who held your hand in the parking lot and read me bedtime stories and took you to the store and told you he loved you and fought for you. I didn't have that, and now i'm finding out that it's my mothers fault." They're silent. "I fucking hate my life. Why does shit like this happen to me?"

They stay silent for a while. "I want to call him Dad. That's going to make him uncomfortable."

"I think it will make him happy." Peeta says.

"Can we change the subject please?" I ask.

"Okay." Johanna stands up and I sit down. "So...I met this guy." she says

"And?" I press.

"We fucked."

"Is that all?" Peeta asks.

"Yes." she sits down again.

...8...

When the doorbell rings the next morning, I practically refuse to get it. Peeta calmly informs me that I need to take care of myself and not put up any walls because I finally have a loving father and I need to let him in.

I open the door and don't say a word as I step aside to let my Uncle Ethan, my mother and father and sisters into the house.

"This is nice. Who's place is this?" Haymitch-Dad asks.

"Finn and Annie's." I mumble. I already took a shower and brushed my teeth and I'm in camouflage extremely skinny jeans and a black tank top. My hair is braided, too.

"They're here?" Prim's eyes light up.

"Yes."

"And Peeta and Johanna?" She voice gets more excited with every word.

"Yes." I smile.

"Shit." She says. "Is Peeta still really, really hot? How big are his biceps? If he has enough strength to put his hands on your ass and your legs on his shoulders, he can totally eat you ou-"

"Prim how about you shut the fuck up." I look down at Rosie, who is only six years old.

"Are his arms bigger or not?"

"Yes they are."

She licks her lips. "He's always been so damn hot-"

"Prim you realize he can hear every single word your saying right now?"

"I don't give two fucks. What about his abs?"

"Sexy." I mutter.

"I don't know what he sees in you. My boobs are much bigger."

"He doesn't like kids."

"I'm not a kid." She crosses her arms.

"Your not an adult either."

"Have you guys had sex yet? If you haven't, you two are gonna break up."

"Yes, we have."

"You have?" Mom asks.

"Can we change the subject please?"

"Fine. Is Finnick hot?"

I wrinkle my nose. "Finn's like a brother. He's not hot and he's not cute."

"Hey!" Finn shouts from upstairs.

"Well it's true!" I shout back.

I hear Peeta snicker. "Face it bro, she likes me better."

"Well I'm more appealing." Finn says.

"Are not." Peeta snaps.

"Yes I am! My dick is longer, right Annie?"

"The length of your fucking dick has nothing to do with how attractive you are." I go upstairs and the rest of my family follows me.

"Want to measure?" Finn undoes the button on his jeans and Peeta undoes his belt. Prim comes upstairs. Finn drops his jeans so he's in his boxers.

"Oh this is gonna be hot." Prim whispers.

Annie and Jo and I watch in shock.

Ethan, Mom, Rosie and Haymitch are behind me.

It's when Peeta's in his boxers that I step in and pull his pants back up.

"What are you doing? We're measuring our-"

"How long?" I look over my shoulder at Finn as I fasten the belt on Peeta's jeans.

"Eight." He crosses his arms.

I can't help it when I laugh. "Ann, I feel terrible for you."

"Like he's any bigger." Finn grumbles.

"How would you even know?" Haymitch asks me pointedly.

My hands freeze and I glance up at Peeta. "Just a guess." I lie.

"No, it's not a guess." He says.

"It doesn't matter. I'm twenty two-"

"Your too young!" He says.

"Well that just sucks for you. Maybe if you were there when I was a kid-"

"Katniss." Mom warns.

"No!" I stand up and whip around. I hear Peeta make a noise like he's trying to get something out of his mouth and I know I hit him with my hair. "Are you seriously going to tell me to calm down? You just don't understand!"

Peeta places his hand on my back. "Katniss." He whispers. "Remember what I told you."

"Don't understand what?" Prim asks. "Would someone please tell me why we're here?"

I stare at her. "You have got to be fucking kidding me. You didn't even tell her?"

"Tell me what?" She demands.

"You're my half sister, Ethan's my uncle."

"So who's your fucking Dad then?" she asks.

I gesture wildly to Haymitch.

She looks between the two of us. "Let's go to the beach, Rosie." She's escaping.

She takes our sisters hand and walks out of the house.

I can tell we are about to start this conversation.

Peeta kisses my cheek lovingly. "Are you guys hungry?"

"Yes." Finn says.

Slowly, everyone admits they are hungry. Peeta walks away.

I begin lacing, and I hear my Mother and Haymitch and Ethan all exhale, and then Finn and Annie and Johanna.

"We'll go..." Finn says.

"No you won't." I look at them. "You guys are staying."

When I pace, they know I'm trying to think and I'm trying to keep myself calm. I'm trying not to go bat shit crazy.

"I wanted to tell you. I wanted to be there." Haymitch says.

"Why weren't you?" I snap.

"Because I wasn't allowed to."

"I need an explanation before I lose my mind. Did you cheat on Ethan, Mom? How the hell do I have dark hair?"

"You have your Uncle's hair. It's one hundred percent positive that Haymitch is your father because we got blood tests when you were a kid and it was positive that Haymitch is your Dad."

"Were you ever even married to Scarlett's Mom?" I ask.

"Yes."

"Is Scarlett even your fucking kid?"

"Yes. She was sort of a one night stand. The girl got rid of her."

"So why were you an alcoholic? Mom why the hell couldn't he see me?"

"I was an alcoholic because I couldn't see you."

"Why couldn't you see me?"

"Okay." Mom sighs. "I was married to Ethan and I had..." She pauses and looks at my father. "Have a thing for Haymitch. He had a thing for me-"

"Have, actually."

Mom looks at Haymitch and Haymitch looks at her and they both smile.

"Okay, that's disgusting." I wrinkle my nose. "Can you wait until I'm out of the room?"

"Anyway," Mom says. "I like Haymitch more and I was in love with him. I cheated on Ethan. We thought you were Ethan's. We kept sneaking off to see each other. He was there when you said your first word. It was "Dada and you didn't say it to Ethan. I got pregnant with Prim when you were two. Then when you were four, the three of us started noticing that you weren't looking very much like Ethan. Your eyes where the exact same as Haymitch's. Your smile

Was mine, your nose was Haymitch's, your hair wasn't either of ours and your attitude was spot on. When we took you to get tested and it came back negative for Ethan, he was so angry that he started beating you. I was scared and I refused to let Haymitch near me or you. I was afraid he was going to hurt us."

"Are you fucking-"

"Katniss." Peeta cuts in. "You wanted the answers. She's giving them to you. You shouldn't be interrupting. You know I hate when you do that, and I guarantee they don't like it either."

I grit my teeth and glare at him. "You can't tell me what to do."

He's mildly smiles. "Hon, I'm just telling you what you should do. I'm not telling you to do it."

I sigh.

"I didn't let you see him at all. It was around every five years. Then we moved to California..." Mom sighs.

"I jumped on the opportunity to be around you. You were so clueless. You were unhappy until you met the four of them." He points at Jo, Finn, Ann and Peeta.

"We were actually going to move." mom says. "We were gonna move to Europe. But one day you came home and you were so happy and I could tell, I could just tell I couldn't take you away. I knew if I did I wouldn't break your heart, but Prim's and Haymitch's too."

"We were moving to Europe?" I whisper.

"Yes. Do you remember the day you and Peeta went to the beach?"

"When Scarlett tried to put me in that dress?"

"Yes. I was going to tell you that night but when he asked you..." She shakes her head. "I couldn't do it."

I let out a long breath.

I was moving to Europe? Haymitch is my Dad?

"If you loved Haymitch why'd you marry Ethan?"

She looks at Haymitch and at Ethan. "Don't kill me." She warns. I say nothing. "Because, in this family, we have arranged marriage."

It takes me a second.

I can't marry Peeta.


	3. Chapter 3

I feel like I've been shot. Hot angry tears well in my eyes. I hear Annie, Finn, Jo and Peeta inhale sharply.

I think of a way out, any way out.

"No." I whisper.

"Katniss." Haymidxh syands up.

"Hell no!" My voice went from a whisper to a shout. "No." I start shaking my head like crazy. "You can't control who I marry. I won't let you, I'll, I'll run away or something!" I start backing up with tears pouring down my cheeks like a cert leaky faucet. "I won't, I refuse-"

"Katniss," Haymitch begins.

"No! You leave me alone!" I trip and start to fall, but Peeta puts his arms under my pits and lifts me back up. "I refuse to marry a stranger!"

Haymitch sighs. "You won't be marry a stranger."

"I don't want- I don't want..." I break into hysterics and bury my head in my hands.

My knees give in and I lay down on the floor and just cry.

I know Peeta can't stand it when I cry. He sits down next to me and grabs my waist. He crosses his legs and pulls me into his lap. I don't really think he gives a shit that everyone's watching. He runs his fingers soothingly through my hair. I bury my head in his shoulder.

"I-I-I-"

"Deep breaths." He whispers. "Calm down. Take deep breaths."

"I-I-I'm g-gonna ch-cheat!"

"No you won't." Haymitxh says. "Your not have an arranged marriage."

"What? Yes she is. It's family rules."

"I don't give a shit if it's 'family rules,' Lillian. You've been making the rules for our daughter all her damn life and I want a say. I've waited long enough. She's my daughter and she's not having an arranged marriage."

"Haymitch, you can't just decide-"

"I just did." He hisses. "Stop telling me what to do. She's my kid too."

"S-so I can m-marry how I w-w-w-w-w-"

"Katniss," Peeta whispers. "You are going to make yourself sick. Deeps breaths." I wins my arms around him and squish myself as close as I can without killing him.

"God Brainless, you need some

Ducking alcohol. I've never seen you cry like this."

"Me either." Peeta whispers.

"I c-can marry who I w-want?"

"No." Mom says.

"Yes." Haymitch looks at Lillian.

"But-"

"Fike, you want it arranged?" He snaps at Lillian. "Marry the boy. That's what is going to happen anyways, right boy?"

I can feel Peeta stop breathing and his grip on me tighten. "I hope so. It's not up to me."

"Well she's marrying you." He says.

"That's not really arranged." Mom mutters.

"Well get over it." He says. I feel tired all of the sudden.

...8...

Everyone is gone. They all left. I want so desperately to sleep but Johanna is giving me major shit because I've never had alcohol. "Well you are going to have to get over it." I snap.

"Am I the only one seeing something wrong with this?"

"I don't like alcohol!"

"Why not? You've never tried it!"

"Johanna." Peeta says. "Would you just back off? She doesn't have to try it."

"She needs to."

"Well I don't want it!"

"But-" my phone cuts us off.

"It's Josh." Peeta grumbles. He doesn't like him because he said that he's not a good person. I know it's actually because he thinks Josh is going to try and take me on or something.

I hesitate before answering. "Yeah?" I ask.

"Listen," he sighs. He sounds stressed and tired. Everyone is quiet in the room so they can hear him. "I know you are with Peeta, alright? I know you've know him longer and all that, but I'm sort of in love with you, so you should give me a chance."

I pull the phone away from my ear and stare at it. Everyone is watching me, wide eyed. Peeta looks pissed.

He reaches for my phone and I smack his hand.

"Josh..." I bite my lip. "You know it's Katniss, right?"

"I know who I'm talking to. I've got your number memorized. I'm in love with you. Please just give me a chance?"

I actually laugh. "No."

"Why not? You've never even had sex with Oeeta! You told me hems an asshole!"

"I did not! What makes you think I've never had sex with Peeta?"

My whiskey sitting on the table abandoned looks extremely tempting all of the sudden.

"Because you told me so!"

"No I didn't! Josh stop being this way. I'm not into anyone that way...except for Peeta."

"I hate him." He says.

"Who? Peeta?" I ask. I stand up and snatch the bottle of whiskey. Johanna let's out a quiet cheer when I pop the top off and take a long swing and wince as it goes down.

It feels good, and I actually look to see what flavor it is. It doesn't say.

"Yes Peeta! He's a fucking asshole! I want to marry you! Katniss, marry me?"

I take a long swing before answering, and them I finish the entire bottle. I've had one bottle of whiskey and it's already making me feel calm, like anything and everything funny. "Fuck no." I hang up. Nobody says anything. "Do we have any more of these?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Let's all thank the guest that told me I put up a chapter from the first book!**

I have a pounding headache, someone's arm is thrown across my naked body and I'm laying in a bed in a house that is not Finn and Annie's.

I sit up and almost scream, but then I see the man who is next to me in this strange bed is Peeta. My hair is wild and the light is so bright. I feel like I'm going to be sick, and I do on the side of the bed.

I hear a loud gasp after a few minutes of me just sitting there, and then Peeta sits bolt upright and looks around, looking pained and panicked before he looks at me and relaxes.

"Did we..." He stares at my bare chest

"Um...I think so." I whisper, wincing at the small noise. Peeta gets up and stretches, and I stare at him dick. "I love you."

He pulls on his boxers and his jeans and plants a kiss on my lips, cheeks and forehead. "I love you too."

We get dressed and go downstairs. There's a ton of garbage and shit all over. Finn, Annie, Jo and a couple other people I don't know are here. All of them look at me, smirk and shake their heads. "You two." Johanna cackles and I wince. "Hung over?" She asks. She hands me two Advil and a bottle of water, and Finn gives the same to Peeta.

"What about us?" I ask.

"Well after you got drunk at our hour we came over here because there was a wild party. We were all really drunk when we drove here and I don't really remember who's car we took-"

"It better not have been mine!" I rush to the huge window and stare. "Oh my holt fucking shit Dad is going to fucking kill me."

Everyone crowds around me and we all stare. I rest my head on the glass. People are asleep on the grass.

"How old are you? If you were underage drinking at my fucking party-"

"I'm twenty two." I snap.

There in the grass, halfway in the fucking ocean sits my brand new Jaguar. It's keyed all over the place and shot with bebes, there's a fire on the fucking hood, the top is cut with a knife and the engine is on fire. It's far enough away that nothing bad will happen if it explodes. I rush outside and downstairs. The keys are sitting on the front seat.

There is no saving this car.

...8...

We sit at Finn and Annie's for a week in pure boredom. We don't want to go to the beach because we lived in California and it's not fun at the beach anymore.

"I wonder what it's like there." Johanna says. We're watching some 9/11 thing.

I can tell she's completely forgotten that I grew up in New York City. I remember 9/11 very well.

"I remember that day." Peeta says. "My teacher turned on the news."

"I was in like forth grade." Annie says.

"We all were. I remember my teacher crying." Finn says.

"Mine too."

"Do you remember, Katniss?"

"I was three blocks away from the twin towers. I remember the world outside went dark and all I could hear was screams. The fire alarm started going off and we were ordered to go home. I was stumbling around outside with people rushing past. I remember seeing people jump from buildings and screaming and crying. Prim was with me. Someone picked Prim and I up and ran. I passed out from all the smoke and woke up in a hospital the next day."

"You don't think that was something we should know about you?" Johanna asks.

"I like to avoid talking about it."

"We should go somewhere outside of Florida." Peeta says.

"Let's go to New York. We can stay with you Kitty." Finn says.

"I don't have a place."

"So let's go with your Dad."

... ...

I don't bother knocking, I just walk right in. "Dad?" I shout. Finn, Jo, Ann and Peeta are in wonderland. Haymitch/Dad walks out of his room.

"Why are you here? You aren't supposed to be home for another week." I have never called him Dad before and I can tell from the look on his fave that I made his day.

"We got bored. I need a place to stay. We, actually."

He shrugs. "You can stay here."

"Awesome, thanks."

"You can park your car in the garage. It's too expensive not to be." I freeze.

Shit he's going to fucking kill me. "Kay." I hope he didn't notice the pause. I scurry past him and he grabs my wrist.

"Katniss," his voice goes deep and frightening and...fatherly? "What happened to the car?"

I let out a forced laugh. "Nothing."

"Katniss." He says.

"Fine..." I look down. "We kind of got really drunk and and we...we drove and...shot the car with bebe's and we made a fire on the hood and we keyed it..."

His eyes go from gray to black and I take a step back. When Ethan does that, it means he's about to kick my ass.

"Who's we?" He growls, releasing my arm.

"Me. I meant me."

He starts to pace.

"Do you realize...that fucking car...it was 94,734 dollars! It was only just shy of a million fucking dollars that you destroyed." He takes a step closer to me and I wince.

"I'm sorry."

When he sees me wince, his eyes soften and he shoves his hands in his pockets. "Where's the car?"

I stay silent.

"Katniss." He hisses.

"We pushed it into..."

"In what? The ocean?"

"Yes."

"Oh my god." I covers his face with his hands and sighs.

"I'm sorry. Please don't...do what Ethan does."

He looks at me in shock. "What? It you? Are you kidding me? I'm not going to hit you because you made a mistake!" He's outraged.

"I'm just really sorry." I whimper.

He's silent for a long, long time. "I'm not getting you a new car." He says. "I'm just..." He sighs. "Never mind. I'll get you a new car but you are going help pay it off."

"You don't have to get me a new car."

"I'm not going to let you get a shit car. Fall is just around the corner and if you get a bad car you'll get into an accident with the snow."

I let out a long breath. "Okay. Well I have to go to Juilliard."

"For what?" Peeta asks.

"I need to get the rest of my shit from my dorm."

"Awesome, can we come?" Finn asks.

"Sure."

We go outside and start to walk. It's a long walk but I like walking.

"My feet are killing me." Annie grumbles.

I turn to her. She does look in pain.

Peeta panics when I step into the street to flag down a taxi. It stops. "Get in."

They all seem to hesitate. I get in the front seat and they squish into the back.

"Where to?" The driver asks.

"Juilliard."

He speeds off. Horns honk and people flip us off. Typical New York.

"You new here?" He asks me.

"No, I grew up here."

He snorts. "That was a stupid question. What about you four. Are you guys new here?"

"Yes. We are from California."

"I can hear that she's from here and you guys are from there in your voices."

He pulls up in front of my college; a huge triangle building. The four of then gape at it.

"How much?" I ask the driver.

"Did you just graduate from here?" He nods at the school.

"Yes."

"Free of charge. I graduated from there, too."

I almost ask him why he drives taxis if he's a Juilliard graduate, but instead I thank him and get out. The four of them follow me up the large stone steps into the front office.

I'm just opening my mouth to tell the secretary all my info, but she grins when she sees me and tosses me

the keys.

"I wish you still went here. You were the light of this school, Katniss." She smiles. "Actually," she stops me. "There was a man in here looking for you."

"A man?" I repeat.

"Yes. He said he knows you. He said in you ever visit Malibu to stop by room 271."

Cinna!

"Cinna was here?" I ask.

"Yes." she says.

"Aw." I frown. "I wish I was here."

"Katniss," she laughs. "He was at your graduation."

"He was?"

"Yes. He was hoping to see you but he didn't. He said he understood."

"Okay. Thanks Patricia." I walk onto the actual property. The four of them follow me. I walk quickly around the corner and smash right into no other than Josh.

He scrambles to his feet, and Peeta helps me up before he can even offer.

The four of them know this is Josh because I showed pictures and Josh knows this is them for the same reason.

"Hi Katniss." He says.

"Bye Josh."

"Wait." He grabs my hand.

I hear someone come up behind me. I don't know who it is. "Please Katniss. I'm in love with you. This could work."

I shut my eyes. "Let go."

His grip tightens and I start remembering Ethan doing something along the lines of this to me. "Let go." He can hear the fear.

He can hear the fear and he likes it.

"Why should I? You know what I want. I intend to get it."

Clearly, he didn't see the other four.

"Let go!"

Johanna decks him in the face and he releases. "She said let go you cunt!"

Peeta is being held back by Finn. He releases him and then Peeta punches Josh in the stomach.

"Don't touch my girlfriend." He puts his arm around my shoulder and walks alongside me to my dorm. I shakily unlock the door and when they're all in, I slam the door and lock it again. Peeta is about to say something when I begin to rant.

"Why can't he jus understand that i don't want his dirty ass dick in me. He's a disgusting asshole, Josh is. He needs to back the fuck up and leave me the fuck alone. I can't stand the fact that he gets all up in my business. I don't like him. I don't love him. He's not being very fair-"

"Well that's not very nice." I stop short and snap my head to the left. It's just Megan.

"This is Megan, Megan, you know them."

"Oh, your Megan." Peeta shakes her hand.

"You must be Peeta. Katniss never shuts up about you guys." She smiles.

"She does?" Peeta asks.

"Oh hell yes. All the damn time she always says something about you guys."

"Does she ever cry?" Jo asks.

Megan smirks. "Yes. She really missed you guys."

We are going to be here for a while. I haven't even begun to pack.

"I remember this." Peeta taps a picture on my side of the room. We decided to be stupid cheerleaders on the beach. We make a pyramid successfully. Mom took the photo. I'm on the top, Annie and Prim in the middle and then Jo, Peeta and Finn on the bottom.

Of course, Finn purposely gave out and made all of us fall. I hit the ground on my arm and I thought that I broke it because I couldn't use it for three days.

"I didn't do it on purpose." Finn says.

"Bull shit, Odair." He snickers. We begin to pack up everything. Peeta's going through my clothes.

After thirty minutes, I catch Peeta staring at me.

"What?" I ask.

"Your such a lil' shit."

"What'd I do?" I ask. I know he's just messing with me and doesn't mean that I'm a lil' shit.

"My favorite shirt? Really Kat?"

Oh shit. I bite my lip. "I'm not sorry."

"I'm taking this back." He says.

"Okay." I say. I go back about my business, and when he isn't paying attention, I slip his shirt right over his head. He jerks back, startled.

Then he turns around to face me. They're all watching us, Megan included. "I'm taking this."

He grabs the place where my knees bend and pulls. Before I can hit the floor he grabs my back and pulls me onto his lap. "You aren't going to ask? Don't be greedy." He smiles.

"Why should I ask? Your going to say yes anyways."

"Maybe I won't." His lips are moving close to mine.

"Which is why I'm not taking that chance." I whisper. He's teasing me and he's doing it on purpose.

"Ask." He says. I giggle.

"Nope."

"Ask." He has his hand on the shirt.

"Nope."

"Ask."

I let out a long sigh like I'm going to give in, and then I place a kiss on his lips. "No." I stand up.

"We'll just have to fight for it." He stands up too.

"Winner gets the shirt." I smirk.

"No, if I win, I get your shirt."

"Fair enough." I grin.

"This is gonna be interesting." Megan says.

"I'm taking a video." Johanna says.

I manage to get Peeta on the floor.

"How do you win?"

"Holding the other down for a minute straight so they can't move at all." Finn says.

I pin Peeta to the floor and he just rolls over. "I'm gonna win." He says. He pins me to the floor and I thrash around beneath him.

Then I bite his arm. "What the fuck?" He jerks away and I break free, push him down and sit on his back. Then I pin his arms and legs by laying on top if him.

"I'm gonna let you win,"

He decides.

"Hey! That's not fun! Play with me!"

"I'm not going to because-" he flips me and pins me down, his arms tight and painful on my arms. "I'm hurting you." He releases me.

"Fine!" I giggle and he rolls his eyes.

"You are too cute."

"You guys are too revolting." Johanna mutters.


	5. Chapter 5

**Would you rather me finish this or write the squeal to You're Mine? **

I slam the door to the house.

"Well?" Dad demands.

"I'm bipolar." I grumble.

I'm not happy. I hate depression. It's almost snowing outside.

It's early November and I haven't seen any of my friends aside from Megan since June. They moved back to California.

"Bipolar?" Dad repeats.

"Yes."

"Do you have medication?"

"Yes. I've already picked it up." I toss the bag on the counter. I haven't spoken to any of them because ice been working double shifts at Applebee's every damn day for the last three months.

"I'm going to get dinner." He walks out.

I think of how much I miss Johanna's snide remarks and Peeta's hugs and lips and touch and personality and Annie's constant smile and Finn's sexual jokes.

I miss them.

I cry at the kitchen table for a half hour before I grab the guitar and move to the couch.

I strum randomly, and then my emotions start coming out and before I know it I'm playing a song.

Lyrics start to flow from me as if I've memorized the song.

HAYMITCH'S POV

_Did you forget_

_That I was even alive?_

_Did you forget_

_Everything we ever had?_

_Did you forget?_

_Did you forget_

_About me?_

_Did you regret (did you regret)_

_Ever standing by my side_

_Did you forget (did you forget)_

_What we were feeling inside?_

_Now I'm left to forget_

_About us_

_But somewhere we went wrong_

_We were once so strong_

_Our love is like a song_

_You can't forget it_

_So now I guess_

_This is where we have to stand_

_Did you regret_

_Ever holding my hand?_

_Never again_

_Please don't forget_

_Don't forget_

_We had it all_

_We were just about to fall_

_Even more in love_

_Than we were before_

_I won't forget_

_I won't forget_

_About us_

I start getting loud to let out anger.

_But somewhere we went wrong_

_We were once so strong_

_Our love is like a song_

_You can't forget it_

_Somewhere we went wrong_

_We were once so strong_

_Our love is like a song_

_You can't forget it_

_At all_

I calm down.

_And at last_

_All the pictures have been burned_

_And all the past_

_Is just a lesson that we've learned_

_I won't forget_

_Please don't forget us_

Tears start falling again.

_Somewhere we went wrong_

_Our love is like a song_

_But you won't sing along_

_You've forgotten_

_About us_

_(Don't forget)_

I stop the video I took of her singing, and then I walk over to the front door and slam it. "I'm home!" I shout.

"Okay!" She shouts. She goes downstairs to get the groceries.

"I have to make a phone call!" I call.

"Okay!"

I go into my room and slam the door, and then I text that video to Johanna, Annie, Finnick and Peeta.

I get a message right away from Finnick.

Finnick Odair: who the hell is this and how do you know Kitty?

Finnick Odair: you better not fucking touch her you pervert

Me: it's her father you dip shit

Finnick Odair: oh.

It's a few minutes before a I get a reply.

Johanna Mason: she looks like shit. I miss her

Me: she misses you guys so much

Annie: this is making me upset.

Peeta Mellark: is she okay?

Me: no

My phone starts ringing.

"Hello?" I ask.

"What's wrong with her?" He sounds different. He sound depressed.

"She's depressed. She a diagnosed bipolar and she's on depression medicine. I've lost count how many times I've caught her crying herself to sleep."

I hear silence and then a door slams. "Can I put you on speaker? Johanna, Finnick and Annie are here."

I hear him click the speaker. "Peet, did you see that video of Kat? She looks like Satan moved in."

"Yes. I'm on the phone with Haymitch."

"Guys, listen-" I begin.

"DAD?" Katniss screams from downstairs.

"What?" I shout.

"Who's on the phone?" I hear her footsteps on the stairs. She bursts into the room and I hear dead silence on the other line.

"Who's that?" She demands.

"Someone from work." I lie easily.

She looks at my phone. I hang up before she can read the number.

"What's his name?"

"Jason."

She huffs and leaves the room again. I make a group text.

Me: since she's nosy I'm gonna have to do this through message. If I can get each of you a decent job, good cars and places of your own, would you be willing to move to New York? I just need to save my kid. I'll do anything, as long as my girl is happy again.

Peeta Mellark: can we think about it?

Me: yes

KATNISS'S POV

I had nightmares again a few nights later. A week to be exact. That was last Friday and now it's Friday again. Peeta left this time and as he was walking out he walks right out the door and off a cliff. I screamed as he plummeted to his death. Now I sit, panting, bolt upright, alert, eyes wide.

I begin to cry, sweat dripping down my body. I hear Dad say goodbye to someone and then hang up the phone.

I didn't scream. I can tell because my throat doesn't hurt.

It's silent tears tonight.

It's really hot. I go into my bathroom and take a cold shower. I don't even get dressed before I lock the door to my room and fall asleep naked underneath the covers.

...9...

Today is the first day in three months I have off of work.

Dad made me breakfast. "I'm going out." He announces.

"Okay. Where?"

"Work." He says.

"Okay. Bye." He walks out.

I sit down on the couch and flip on the TV.

"No," I change the channel from some princess movie. "No," I change it from a cute couple at dinner. "No," I change it from a make out. "No." I change it from sex and then settle with The Heat.

I drum my fingers on the table and laugh hysterically as Melissa McCarthy pulls a man out of his car.

An hour passes. The front door slams and I tense.

"Dad?" I shout.

"Yeah?" He asks.

"Just making sure you aren't a pedophile. Or Ethan."

He sits down with me.

The Heat ends and Just Go With it starts.

When they get to Hawaii, the doorbell rings. "Can you get that? I'm kind if busy." He's working, so I hoist myself to my feet and trudge to the front door. The bell rings three more times.

I feel my anger soar. "I'm fucking coming you impatient son of a bitch!" I yank the front door open.

There stands Johanna, pressing the doorbell insistently, Peeta trying to get her to cut it out, Finn egging her on and Annie just standing there smiling and shaking her head.

"You must be in a wonderful mood." Johanna says sarcastically.

"Hi." It's all I can think to say. I've wanted them here for so long and now that they are here, I don't know what to say.

They all stare at me like I'm stupid for a second and then Johanna rings the doorbell again, I laugh instead of being angry.

They all exchange a look and then Peeta looks at me in concern. "Are you going to let us in?"

"Right." I step aside.

When they're standing in the house, I shut the door and start crying, I hug Peeta last.

"Jesus Christ Brainless. What happened to your sanity?"

"I can't help it you lil' bitch!" I snap.

"Katniss." Dad walks into the kitchen. "Did you take your medicine?"

"I don't want to take my medicine." I mutter.

"Well you have to."

"I don't want to. I'm not going anywhere."

"I quit your job for you." He says.

My mood soars to fury.

"You what?" I hiss.

"Calm down." He says carefully, dropping my depression medicine and my bipolar medicine in the palm of my hand.

"You don't realize-"

"You are so stressed. You work nonstop and when you come home you cry yourself to sleep. You hardly ever eat and one word anyone says makes you want to fucking kill them. You went downhill when you started that fucking job. Your done there. You work somewhere with a buddy of mine now."

"Where?" I ask.

He looks like he's ready to take a hit.

"Starbucks."

I almost deck him, and I do, and then I start feeling terrible. He whispers something to the four of them right before I burst into tears. Peeta picks me up and carries me down to my bedroom. He shuts the door with his foot and stands up. I see him eye my bed.

"You haven't been sleeping well, have you?"

"Not really." I whisper. "I don't sleep very well anymore...I have nightmares now."

"Nightmares?" He opens my dresser. "About what, if you don't mind me asking."

"You."

He snaps his head up from my dresser to my eyes. "Me?" He asks.

"Yes. Terrible ones. Ones of you leaving...cheating...dying..." I swallow and fight the tears. I lose the battle.

"Oh Katniss." He whispers. "Don't...think like that. Don't, okay? I'm not leaving unless you ask me to, and judging the circumstances, I really don't know if I will believe you if you do. I'm never going to cheat on you because I love you so much it's like...a vampire. It sucks out all the love for everyone but you and it sucks out the happiness and everything but you when we are apart. It hurts so bad. As for the dying..." He sighs. "I don't plan on going anywhere for a very long time."

"But they're accidental! What if it happens! Peeta, I'll kill myself."

"Katniss," he warns.

"I will! I can't live without you. I can't."

"You won't have to." He hugs me. It's a different hug from one in the kitchen. This one is tighter and warmer and more...more us. I slip my hands under the back of his shirt because I need to actually feel him. It's a long hug that I don't want to end. It does though, and he dresses me, literally.

"I can dress myself." I mumble.

"I love babying you." He says. "Let me do this."

"Okay."

He puts me in a red warm sweater, jeans, a winter coats, socks and winter boots. Then he undoes my braid and runs his fingers through my hair. We go to the kitchen. Dad comes upstairs. "It's snowing." He says. "Finally."

"Snow?" Peeta asks excitedly.

I remind myself that the four of them have never seen snow.

"Let's go outside." I pause and hug my Dad. "I'm sorry for hitting you." He hugs me back.

"It's alright. It's not like it's the first time." He says. He releases me. I open the front door and bound down the cement steps and outside. They follow me excitedly.

It's cold, but they don't seem to care. I sit down on the steps. Finn tries to make a snowball with the flurries.

I laugh softly. "It won't work."

"Why not?" Finn asks as another flurry melts to water in his hand.

"It's not snowing enough. I'll tell you when it'll work."

"Let's go on a walk." Peeta blurts.

I run inside and get my phone and wallet and then go back outside. We join hands together, all five of us and parade down the sidewalk like toddlers.

We stop in a ton of stores on the way.

I get a black knit hat because I thought it was cute.

"So who do you think is going to get pregnant first?" Annie asks Johanna and I as we exit another store and begin walking again, drifting behind the boys.

I look at Jo and so does Annie and she just snickers. "Damn right bitches. What about marriage?"

Johanna looks between the two of us. "That's was a good ass question for me to ask." She says.

"I don't know the answer to that." Annie says.

"I don't either."

"Let's ask the boys." Johanna says. We run to them, and I hop on Peeta's back. He doesn't even tense, he just kissing my arm as it locks around his neck from behind and supports my legs with his arms. "Who's getting preggers first?" Jo asks.

"You." Peeta says without a doubt. I snicker.

"Who's getting married first?"

Finn and Peeta both stop walking. I hop off of Peeta's back and move next to Jo.

Finn and Peeta exchange a look and I see they both look like they don't know what to say.

"How the hell should we know?" Finn asks.

I roll my eyes. "You could've just said 'I don't know' instead of staring at each other." I skip past them.

"Hey!" Peeta chases me and I break into a run instead. We all chase each other and I turn into Central Park and we run around.

"Katniss look-" I slam into someone and fall down onto the frozen ground, muttering an angry swear.

It's two guys my age, one with blond hair and blue eyes and one with dark hair and gray eyes. Peeta lifts me off of my feet.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"I'm fine."

Both boys are exchanging glances of shock and then I see the dark haired guy smirk, make a circle with his finger and stick his pointer finger through it.

Then they turn to me. "Hi Katniss." The blond smirks.

Johanna, Finn and Annie come up behind me. Johanna leans over, gasping with her hand on my shoulder.

"Your fucking fast as fuck."

Peeta snickers.

"No I'm not, your just slow as fuck." I smirk. She rolls her eyes and straightens up.

"Katniss." The dark haired boy says. "You look like a fucking girl. You don't look depressed."

I furrow my eyebrows.

"Makes me want to fuck you even more."

Who is this?

The blond says, "too bad you were too much of a pussy to let us."

My jaw clenches and my hands go into my pockets in fists as I realize who these two boys are.

My ex-boyfriends, Gale and Cato. The wind picks up and it starts snowing harder.

"Gale, Cato," I say curly. "What a pleasure."

Peeta looks between me and the two boys for a moment and then I see recognition flicker in his eyes and then they get three shades darker.

"Still a virgin?" Cato asks.

"Still a bitch?" I hiss. They exchange a look.

"I take that as a yes." Gale laughs with his head thrown back.

"You're actually pretty hot when you're not wearing that sweatshirt." Cato snorts. The snow had been falling for a few hours and I could probably gather enough to make a snowball.

I feel my bipolar taking over and my hand twitches in my jacket.

"Oh, she's pissed." Gale laughs.

I punch him in the face and Johanna jumps on the opportunity for a fight and punches Cato.

I can't stop. My vision is red and spotty and I hear Gale shouting and trying to get me off of him. I feel Annie shouting and Finn telling her to stay back and them I feel strong arms rip me off of Gale. My vision starts going back to normal. "You're such a mother fucking asshole!"

"How's your Daddy?" Gale teases. I think it's Peeta that's holding me back. I fight and push and try to knee him in the balls because I'm so fucking pissed. Finn grabs Johanna and rips her off. When my vision goes completely back to normal, I see it isn't Peeta that's holding me, but my Dad. I push harder to get him to let go of me. "Is he still kicking your ass?" I break free and get in three more hits before Dad grabs me again, and Peeta helps to restrain me. I fight and push and kick.

"He's keeping me from killing you!"

I don't know how, but I break free again. Peeta grabs my arm before I can do anything and he kicks my legs in gently so I fall down. Just as I'm about to scramble up, he pins me down. He holds my arms above my head and sits on my legs.

Do you ever get so angry that you plot ways to kill someone, because right now I'm ready to kill Gale and Cato.

"Now," Haymitch says. "I don't know what the hell I just witnessed, but undo know who you boys are. You pissed my kid off. Get the fuck outta here before I beat both of your asses." He hisses. They leave and I start thrashing around wildly.

"I HATE YOU!" I shout. "I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL YOU FUCKING ASSWIPE HORN DOGS!" I keep thrashing around for minutes after that until I get tired and let my head fall into the frozen grass. Peeta's still on top of me. "Get off of me." I hiss. He stares at me. "You promise you won't hit me or anyone else? Or harm them in any way, even with words."

"I fucking promise! Get off!"

"I don't believe you." He says. I'm still in the angry stage. He leans down so his lips are right above mine. "Promise me."

"I promise." I whisper.

He sits up and gets off me. I massage my wrists. He holds his hand out to me and I take it. He pulls me up.

They all stare at me. "He deserved it." I snap, feeling self conscious. Then I walk off.

…a…

God I'm such a motherfucking bitch. Dad isn't here and I don't know when Peeta, Johanna, Annie and Finnick go home.

I hear an insistent knocking on the door. I don't know who it is, so I open up the silver wear drawer and shout, "Come in!" And then I grab the butcher knife and wait. I her the front door slam and then Peeta walks into the kitchen. His eyes are red rimmed and I think he's been crying which makes me panic. He takes the knife from my hand, puts it in the drawer, slams it with his hip and them pulls me into a hug so right that I feel like my organs are being squeezed out of my body and going to come out of my mouth. He's breathing unevenly. His hands slip under my shirt. It's early in the morning and I was going to make some cereal. I'm his shirt and a pair of panties and that's it.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted."

"I've missed you." He whispers. "During the four years I cried every time I took a shower. I like when it rains. It's an excuse to hide the tears. And...and when I'm away from you..." He sucks in a long shaky breath. "When I'm away from you, it hurts so badly. I know I'm the man here, and I try to be strong, I really do, but I can't. I can't be strong when I am away from you for even one minute. I want to wake up next to you. I want to go to sleep with you. I want to make you breakfast. I want to be with you forever and always. I want..." He pulls away. He looks so serious it worries me. I have tears dripping onto his shirt, painting splatters. "I want you to be mine-"

"I thought I was you-"

"I mean really mine,_ really _mine. I want to spend away moment for the rest of my life with you be my side. I don't want, no, no, I can't. I can't be without you. I need you. You are the blood the makes my heart pump. You are the cold to the snow. You are the heat to the fire. You are the missing piece of my life. It's been a long time we've been together. Five years as of last month. Five years of joy and hell. Joy is for every second of every day that I've been with you and hell is for every second of every day that I've been away from you. Do you understand?" I ask.

Yes, I understand that he loves me and wants me with him at all times, but I don't understand what brought on this huge speech.

If he's doing what I think he's doing…

I swallow the nerves.

"I know this isn't extravagant. My original plan was to go karaoke at a fancy restaurant and do this there, but…I don't really think it matters how we're dressed or what we look like when I ask the question that'll change your life forever."

He look so confident that is actually makes me feel like I'm going to choke. He maintains eye contact with me the whole time as he gets down on one knee right in front of me in the kitchen. "Katniss, will you marry me?"


	6. Chapter 6

I remember back when I was a kid and I would write my stories. Sometimes I wrote actual stories. Every time someone in the store got engaged, it was always extravagant. I always wanted my engagement to be like this.

I remember telling myself that if I wasn't extravagant, I'd tell the guy no.

And this isn't extravagant. I'm not telling him no.

I realize that this is what I really want. I don't want a huge deal made out of it. It doesn't matter what we look like or where it happens. The engagement shouldn't be perfect because marriage isn't perfect.

Nothing is perfect.

I think of any possible reason I could say no.

I only come up with one.

What happens when he goes back to California?

The answer comes fast, so fast that I almost forget the question.

I move with him.

I look down into his crystal blue eyes.

Can I speak? I don't know.

I feel like an avox. It's a person in my nightmares that has no tongue. The person got it cut off for punishment and is now inable to speak.

My tongue feel like it can't move, and I see his confidence falling just as quickly as it built.

Befor I see the hopeful look vanish, I start nodding like crazy.

His face lights up and he stands up. "Really?" He asks. I smile and nod excitedly again. "Oh god." He kisses me. "You make me so happy." He kisses me again and then his mouth starts wandering. "I fucking love you." He mumbles against my collar bone. "By the way...I kind of just came from the grocery store so my foods in the car and left the ring at home..."

"That's okay. I fucking love you, too" I tangle my fingers in his hair.

"Let's go." He says, smiling excitedly.

"I haven't had breakfast or done anything productive." I whisper.

"Don't worry about a shower, just get dressed." He whispers against my skin. His mouth starts wandering again and every single touch burns with passion.

"Mm Peeta," I moan softly.

"Oh right." he pulls away. "Get dressed."

...9...

"Where are you taking me?" I ask.

He laughs. "You'll see." He says.

"Where are you going to put those groceries?"

He shrugs. "Outside. Shut your eyes."

I do as he says and close them. I feel him turn a few times and then the car shuts off. "Open."

We're in front of a townhouse with a front yard and a small back one.

"What...?" I'm confused.

"This is our house, if you want to move in."

"So you aren't going back to California?"

"No." He plants a kiss on my cheek and gets out. I help her bring the groceries in and after everything's away, he turns to me.

"Are you sure you want to marry a bipolar-"

"I know what I want." He cuts me off. "I want you. All of you. Right now." He sweeps me off my feet and runs for the stairs. He stops and gets the ring off his bedside table and slides it on. Them he starts kissing me and taking my clothes off.

He jumps on the chance to tell me he loves me.

And I make sure I say it back every time.

...k...

My phone ringing rouses me. I'm naked and warm and cozy nuzzled in Peeta's chest. He groans.

"Who is it?"

"Dad." I pull the covers over my head and squish myself as close to him as I can without killing us. His hands roam my naked body.

"You are so beautiful." His voice is soft and light.

"I love you." I mumble.

The front door slams. "Peet?" Finn shouts. I tense.

"Just a second!" He shouts.

"Did you fucking ask brainless yet?" Johanna shouts. He starts tossing me clothes.

"Just stay there." He says. I pull on my panties and Peeta's shirt. My phone starts ringing again. It's on vibrate, thank god. I put it on silent. Peeta walks out into the living room, and I change into my actual clothes. I text my Dad.

Me: _I'm busy. What's wrong?_

Dad: _where are you?_

I stare at my phone. If I tell him I'm at Peeta's he'll probably think I'm here for sex or something and chances are high that he'll come pick me up.

So I lie.

Me: _I got called into work._

Dad: _oh. But your cars here_

Shit.

Me: _Peeta picked me up._

Dad: _why?_

Me:_ he was in the area_

Dad: _your with him aren't you?_

Me: _no_

Dad: _your lying_

Me: _fine I'm lying. Whatever. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Don't come pick me up. I'm safe here._

Dad: _are you_ _okay?_

Me: _I'm fine. Don't worry about me._

Dad: _that's my job as your father._

Me: _whatever. I gtg_

I shut my phone off.

"Peet, did you ask her or not?" Finn demands.

"I asked her." Peeta says.

"She said no." Annie whispers. "She said no, didn't she Peeta."

"Bitch!" Johanna says. "What a little bitch! I'm gonna kick her fucking ass!"

"Johanna." Peeta says. "Stop it."

"Peet, did she actually say no?" Finn asks.

I hear Peeta exhale in annoyance. "Does it matter what she said?"

He wants me to tell them. I know because he isn't telling them himself.

"Does it matter...fuck yes it matters!" Johanna says. "What did she say? Do I have to kick her ass!"

"You wouldn't even kick her ass in the first place." Peeta snaps.

"Peeta what did she say?" Annie asks impatiently. "Tell us."

He says nothing.

"Fine. I'll fucking call her then!" Johanna snaps.

I get an idea. I put my phone on full blast and crawl into the bed after stripping off my shirt and crawl into bed. I roll onto my side and shut my eyes as my phone starts blaring.

I hear three gasps in the other room. "Shut it off Johanna." Peeta says. My phone stops ringing.

"She's here." Finn says. "So she said yes."

"She's asleep. Or at least she was asleep because you had to call her."

"You could've just answered the question. Now go wake her up. I want to interrogate her."

"Why don't you wake her up?"

"Because I know she's naked and she's bipolar and she's gonna kick my ass if I got wake her up. I'd much rather her kick your ass."

"I don't want to go wake her..."

"Either you do or I do. I don't think you want me to go in there and wake your naked fiancé." Finn says.

"Fine. I'll go wake her up."

I stay still, eyes shut. The bed dips down beside me and I feel a soft kid pressed to my forehead. "I know you aren't sleeping." I roll onto my back and just stare at him. He runs his fingers through my hair and peels the sheets back. I hear him inhale deeply and then he looks down at the crotch of his pants which is getting a huge lump.

I steal his shirt and rid of my pants and go out into the living room after whispering for him to stay where he is. "Hey you guys should come back later. Like tomorrow."

"Wanting more sex are you Kitty?" Finn teases.

I scowl and open the front door. "Bye."

"You don't live here." Finn says.

"Good to know." I push him, Johanna and Annie out the door and lock the deadbolt. Then I run at bullet speed to Peeta's room and pounce on him and start kissing him insanely.

"Wait." He pushes me away. "Where'd they go?"

"I kicked them out." I giggle.

He laughs. "Why?"

"Because your sexy, I need to shower and you are going to shower with me."

"Is that an order? That would be sexy as fuck if it was an order."

I giggle again. "Then it's an order." He stands up and I follow him. He slaps my ass when I get in front of him and I squeal.

"Let's go." He laughs.


	7. Chapter 7

"Five weeks is too long!" Peeta argues.

"I know honey," I toss another shirt on the bed. He punches my pillow.

"It's too long."

"Peeta, I know."

"I've decided you aren't going."

I laugh. "Honey, I know you're gonna miss me and I get that, I really do, but I kind of miss my family. You can understand that, right baby?"

"Of course I understand!" He runs his fingers roughly through his hair. Dad's already left for Maine, my entire family, all the aunts and uncles and cousins from both sides are there and in going to be late. I'm the one delivering the engagement news. We are going to Grandma's house in Maine. I have to be at the airport in an hour and Peeta's taking me. "But a month is too long. A month being stick with my fucking family, Katniss. A month with only having a cell phone to hear your beautiful voice and your flawless laugh and without feeling your lips or anything."

I toss my last pair of jeans on my bed and he helps me fold them.

"It's okay." I whisper. "It's okay, we'll be okay. It's okay baby, it's okay."

"I know it's okay. I'm gonna really miss you, is all."

"I'm gonna miss you too."

We quickly pack the rest of my suitcase and I double check everything. "Do you have all your underwear?"

"Yes."

"Shirts and pants?"

"Yes."

"Wallet?"

"Yes."

"Bras?"

"Yes."

Toothbrush?"

"No." I rush into the bathroom and get my toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Hairbrush?" He asks.

"Yes." He grabs my shampoos and puts them in my suitcase with everything else, and my razor.

"I can't take that." I toss it onto my bed.

"Okay. How about your phone?"

I tap my pocket.

"Charger?"

I unplug it from the wall and toss it in. He taps his hand on my bedside table for a second. "Laptop?"

I frown.

"I need that?"

"Just in case." He gets the bag with the charger and anything else laptop related and puts it in my computer bag.

He taps his hand again and tosses in my DSI.

I know I won't need that. I never touch the damn thing.

"Peeta-"

"Just take it. Please?"

"Okay." I sigh. He gets the ring box for the engagement ring out of his pocket.

"So you can um...take the ring off until everyone knows."

"Okay." I whisper.

"Oh." He pulls his shirt over his head and tosses that in there, too. "I know that it makes you feel better." He whispers.

"What shirt will you wear?" He opens my top drawer and pulls one of his shirts I didn't know he knew I stole over his head. "This one." He smiles. "Oh! I know something you think in going to let you forget on purpose." He walks into the kitchen and comes back with my bipolar medication and my depression medication, my ADD medication AND my birth control.

"Peeta I don't need it!" He tosses it in my suitcase.

"Yes you do."

"No I don't! I don't like being crazy! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself! I haven't has to take it since you got back!"

"That's because I was the fucking reason you were on the medication in the first place! Now that I'm here your okay but five weeks without me and you'll start needing it! Your taking the meds."

"No I'm not." I take them out of the suitcase.

"Katniss please don't do this." He begs. "Please? You'll make me feel better if I know you have it with you."

I cross my arms. "Fine." He lets out a sigh of relief and puts them in the suitcase and shuts it. His alarm to take me I leave starts going off. "Ready to go?"

"I suppose."

...8...

The turbulence on this ride is so bad that we can't take out belts off.

Honestly, when we land, I couldn't be more relived.

I see a flint catch my eye and remind myself to take the ring off. I slide it off of my finger and shove it in my pocket.

"Going to see the family?"

The girl beside me asks.

"Yes."

"I'm guessing the ring is for decoration and you don't want to be questioned?"

"No, it's real. I got engaged and I sort of haven't told them yet."

"Oh. It's a beautiful engagement." She stands up. "Well, goodbye. Congratulations on your engagement. I hope you have a wonderful live with your soon-to-be husband."

"Oh, thank you." I smile.

"Your welcome..."

"Katniss." I fill in the gap.

"Katniss." She repeat. "I'm Dominique." She looks around at the empty plane. I pick up my carry on.

"It's nice to meet you."

"You too, Katniss." She walks away. I walk off the plane.

"Sissy!" Rosie shoves right past Dominique and runs into my arms. I pick her up. "Hi!"

"Hey Rosie." I smile.

"I miss you!" She hugs me and I hug her back and put her down to hug my Prim. Dad came with the two of them. I grab my bag again.

We head to get my luggage. "So Peeta called me." He says. I stop walking.

Did he blab?

"What'd he say?" I ask.

"He said you refused to bring your medication and he had to beg you."

I let out a long breath to keep myself from getting angry with my fiancé.

He's just concerned.

"Let's go. I'm not talking about this right now."

...9...

"Katniss look at you! Your so beautiful!" My aunt Haylynn gushes.

I smile.

I'm going to get right down to the chase. "Is everyone here?" I ask.

Grandma hugs me and then looks around. "Yes. Why?"

"Can everyone like shut up for like two minutes so I can sort of say something I really need to say?"

"Go ahead and say it." Mom says.

I look down at my hands. "I'm warning all of you aside from my parents and sisters that in bipolar so watch what you say because I can't really control my actions. If you don't like what in going to say then keep it inside or I'm going to probably start planning ways to kill you."

My cousin Jacob snickers but doesn't say a word.

"Okay. Say it." Prim narrows her eyes.

"Well..." Dammit my nerves are killing me. "I'm getting married." I keep my eyes down for a moment and then sneak a glance up.

Prim's eyes are wide and her mouth is open. Mom just looks shocked, Dad does too, and so does everyone else.

"What?" Grandma asks.

"I'm getting married. We don't have a date or anything but..." I get the ring from my pocket. "I'm engaged..." I put the ring back on.

"What's his name?" My aunt asks. "It is a he?"

"His name is Peeta..."

"Oh my god!" Prim starts bouncing up and down. "Where is he? Why the fuck isn't he here? What the hell Katniss?" I grit my teeth.

"I told him he could come but he insured that he wasn't invited directly and then before I could ask he made plans with his family..."

"Guys!" Prim says. "Peeta's such a sweet guy! He's really sexy too!"

"I can't believe this." Mom mutters. I look at her in fear. She stares at me. "My baby girl is getting married."

"So you aren't mad?" I ask.

"Mad? I'm not mad! I'm not mad at all! I'm glad that it's Peeta!" She hugs me. "He's a sweet boy. How's he doing?"

"He's good." I smile.

"Good. Let me see." She takes my hand and inspects the ring. "Beautiful." She smiles. Prim stares at it.

"Did he rob a bank? This must've coated a fortune!"

I look at Dad instead of answering Prim. "Are you angry?" I ask.

"No. I'm glad that it's the boy. He's a good kid. I'm sad your getting married. Your still my little girl and I'm still going to call you sweetheart, okay?"

"Well I'm not happy." Ethan crosses his arms.

He's such a little ass.

"Dad shut th fuck up." Prim says. "She's not your fucking kid so back the hell off."

"She's my niece." He says.

"You really should just go and fuck-" my phone beeps and cuts me off, dropping my eyes, Mom's and Prim's down to the screen.

Peeta: aren't you forgetting something?

I drop the stupid conversation with Ethan and message him back.

Me: uh...

Peeta: you were supposed to message me when you got off the plane.

Me: I got off the plane :D

Peeta: I don't know why I think that's so funny but I'm hysterical right now.

Me: lol

...8...

It's a full week later, the day before Thanksgiving. I'm sitting on the floor with almost the entire family playing Apples to Apples. We decided to play a game because my Grandma got posses that everyone was on their "pointless electronic devices."

My phone starts ringing.

"Don't answer it." Grandma says. She pauses. "Unless it's Peeta. Then you can answer it."

"Well it is Peeta." I slide to answer and turn the volume down so nobody can hear. "Hey."

I hear a door slam, his breathing, which I can tell is angry and the sound of shouting downstairs. He whispers something to someone else and then says, "save me."

I know he's in a very bad mood and he's posses beyond words. "What's wrong?" I ask. The word is inappropriate.

In my family we get a sharpie and on a piece if tape me put the word on the crest your own card and then out it in. I get my crest your own card and put SEX WHEN THE KIDS WALK IN in all caps and put it in the pile.

"God, Katniss holidays are supposed to be joyful and happy and warm and it's supposed to make you and to stay, right?"

"Sometimes. Why?"

"Because I am not even close to happy and it's all cold and ugly here. I can't do this. I'm going to fucking kill somebody."

"Peeta, what happened?"

"Is he okay?" Mom whispers. They're being completely noisy about him now because they all love him when almost all of them have never met him before. I shrug. Prim has the green card right now and she starts laughing hysterically, keeping quiet.

"Well my whole family is just fucking fighting nonstop and Rye, Graham and I have decided to leave."

"Wait, whoa, Peeta-"

"I'm not going to stay no matter what you say."

"What are they fighting about?"

"Money and bills and everything! It's too much! I can't stay here! They're screaming nonstop and it's fucking early here and they woke everyone up! They haven't made breakfast, they're just screaming and it's pissing me off. I'm leaving."

"Wait, Peeta, honey, I think you need to slow down."

"I am not staying here Katniss."

I shut my eyes. "Did you tell them we're engaged?"

"No! I can hardly get in a word."

"Well you need to tell them."

"Katniss what's wrong?" Mom asks. I put up a hand, slightly annoyed.

"Katniss I don't want to stay. I'm packing." Peeta says.

"Where are you even going to go?"

"I going home." he says.

"What? No Peeta. Johanna, Annie and Finn went home for the holidays."

"Rye and Graham are coming with me." he says.

"That's practically alone." I say.

"I don't care. I'm going home."

"Peeta I'm not going to let you spend two major holidays alone-"

"I won't be alone. I'll have Rye and Graham."

"Peeta that's not..." I exhale. "That's not very festive."

"Well I don't have any other choice." He says.

"Peeta I don't want you to be alone for Thanksgiving and Christmas." I whisper.

He sighs softly. "I'll be okay." He says.

Grandma whispers something to the rest of the family. "Katniss tell Peeta to bring whoever and come here." Grandma says. I stare at her. "Really honey, do it."

"Peeta?" I ask.

"What the fuck do you want Mom?" Peeta shouts.

"Why are you leaving?" She demands.

"Because you guys are fucking rude and annoying and I can't fucking stand-"

"Peeta." I warn. I hear him exhale sharply.

"Because I don't want to be here." he says much calmer. He zips his suitcase and goes downstairs. I can hear Rye and Graham following him. "Since all of you are rude inconsiderate assholes, the three of us have decided to leave." Rye says.

"Nothing you say will change out minds." Graham adds.

"Oh, nd thanks for shutting up for two seconds so I could tell you guys that I'm engaged to Katniss. I really appreciate it." Then the door slams.

"Peeta?" I ask again.

"Yeah?"

"You want to make me happy?"

"Yes." He says.

"You could...you could come here for the holidays."

"Katniss I told you how I felt about that." He warns.

"But you said you missed me and you wanted to be invited and you were! My whole family wants to meet you!"

"Katniss I really don't know."

"Please? Come with Rye and Graham." I plead, my face turned in a frown with tear he's going to reject.

I hear him whispering and then Heaham say "a chance to see kat?"

And then I hear Peeta sigh. "Alright. I'm gong to get on a plane. I'll text you with the details and stuff. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"What happened?" Mom asks.

I hesitate. "It's really not my place to tell if you ask what happened and why he had to come here I'm sure he'll tell you because he's too nice not to but for right now just know that his family isn't making the holidays like how they should be so he's upset."

"I understand." Mom says. They don't press any further. We go back to the game and I get a text.

Peeta: we got tickets. It better still be in Topsfiled.

Me: it is. What time at you getting in and what time do I need to come get you?

Peeta: We get in at six pm tonight and you don't need to come get us cuz we have Rye's car.

I send him the address.

Peeta: ok we are taking off I need to go love you bye

Me: love you too bye

...9...

"No you fucking dickweed!" I laugh at Prim. She's trying to get some hook to go into the walk for my grandma to hand up the most recent family photo. We are in the living room which in the same room the front door is in. "Your so fucking retarded! It doesn't go like that you blond bimbo!"

"Suck my dick!"

"First of all, you don't have a dick. Second of all, I've only sucked,

And only ever will suck one dick. Third of all, even if you did have a dick, I wouldn't want to suck it because that's just fucking nasty."

She looks over my shoulder and smirks. "Who's dick?" She asks. I take the hammer from her and point it at her. "Shut your fucking mouth before I beat your fucking ass!" I hear someone whisper something to someone and then footsteps disappears.

"You won't do shit because you are a little sissy and you wouldn't ever hit me with a hammer!"

"Wanna fucking bet?" I feel a light tap on my shoulder. "Just a minute." I put my hand up.

"You better not hit me with the hammer. You aren't my sister."

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"It means that your so mean to me!" As she's talking I feel another tap on my shoulder and I continue ignoring.

"How am I mean to you?" Another tap on my shoulder. I still ignore.

"It doesn't matter. You know it's seven. The boys got off the plane at six. Don't you think they should be here by now?"

I look at the time on the wall.

My mood snaps into panic. "Prim what if they got into a car accident? Or a boat crash or-"

"A boat crash? They're not even near the fucking water."

"Prim-"

"Why don't you call Peeta? Maybe he forgot to call you like you did to him."

I feel another tap on my shoulder.

"Fine." I pull my phone out of my pocket, unlock the phone and call Peeta.

I wait impatiently until I hear the familiar ringtone right behind me.

Prim snickers. I tense and bite my lip to keep from laughing at my own damn self.

He was the one tapping my shoulder.

I don't even have a chance to react before I feel him lean over my shoulder to show me his phone which has my photo and my I.D.

"Now," he whispers in my ear, flipping the switch on his phone to put it on vibrate. Him being here rises goosebumps on my arms. I've missed him so much. "Should I answer this?" He kisses my cheek from behind. "Or are you going to turn around and give me a hug?"

I smile and spin around and hug him. He returns it, and it lasts three times longer than a normal hug does.

"Hey you're her Dad." Rye says. "I thought he was an ass Kat? Why's he here?" I peek my head out from behind Peeta. Ethan rolls his eyes. "He an asshole but he's not-"

"I am not an asshole!" Ethan cuts me off.

Peeta laughs under his breath and turns to face his brothers. "Haymitch is her Dad."

Both of their jaws drop and they look at Haymitch. "I so called that one. Dude, you owe me a thousand dollars." Rye says to Graham.

"No, Barley owes you a thousand dollars. I was on your side, remember?"

"No, I distinctively remember-"

"I swear if you guys start fighting I'm going to be really pissed off." Peeta cuts both of them of.

They both scowl at him and continue their argument. "I'm going outside." He walks away and out into the freezing cold snow.

I decide to take charge. "Both of you need to shut the fuck. You came here to the away the fighting, or at least Peeta did. If you guys are going to sit here and fight the whole time I'm not going to let you stay here." Then I follow Peeta outside, barefoot with no jacket. He's sitting on the porch with his hands tangled in his hair. I sit down next to him and bump his shoulder with me. "Hey." I whisper. He sighs and rests his head on my shoulder.

"Why do people fight? Why? The world is so messed up and it's sucking my family into it! My parents are probably going to get divorced! Katniss I don't know if I want to do this anymore."

"Peeta..." I take his hand. He lifts his head up. "Peeta, baby. It's okay. It's going to go okay. We'll be okay. I love you."

"I love you too." He's sitting on the part of the porch that hangs off the side of the cliff. There's a rock cliff on the side but the ground is just snow and it's fresh and still soft. It's only a ten foot drop under Grandma's house because half of the house hangs off if the cliff. There's a ledge that goes down ten foot and if you fell you may live but if you miss the ledge you'll fall hundreds of feet and you'll die.

"Katniss." Peeta whispers. He's looks off into the distance and his entire body is tense. "I need you to move to the right." He doesn't move a single muscle. He doesn't even turn his head to look at me.

I stare at him caseous. Slowly, I scoot over. "Keep going."

Something creaks beneath him.

I realize what's happening a little too late. The porch that's hanging off the ledge collapses, taking Peeta with it.

"PEETA!" I scream in terror.

**Everyone keeps telling me nothing ever happens to Peeta. **

**Hehe**

**I don't know if he's gonna live or not. **


	8. Chapter 8

I run off the porch. Planks of wood tumble down off the ledge hundreds of feet.

Dad comes rushing outside and his hand covers his mouth. My family scrambles hot behind him and Rye and Graham look like they're going to drop dead. He's lying face down in the snow. Blood is changing the color of the snow.

"Katniss NO!" Prim reaches for me but I start scrambling down the rocks. About five feet from the ledge my hand slips on some ice and I fall the rest of the way. I land with a thud next to Peeta. The pain in my arm as a rock cuts very deep in is ignored. "Peeta?" I ask, tears pouring down my cheeks. I pull him away from the edge. In the summer this ledge is grass. The only place there is rocks is on the side. That's here he must've hit his head. I roll him into his back. He looks dead. I check his pulse.

"Is he alive?" Mom shouts.

"Yes!"

"Breathing?"

"Yes but he's having trouble. I think he had the wind knocked out of him!"

"Why's he bleeding?" She asks. She doesn't wait for an answer because my Grandmother got a first aid kit from the neighbor's house because hers is...well, there's obviously a reason that the porch fell, and the house is slanting off the cliff because the support beams fell when the porch did. She tosses the first aid kit down to me and let's Dad lower her by rope. She grabs snow and holds it above Peeta's forehead where the blood seems to be coming from. There's a very deep gash, but that's it.

"Mom? Is he going to die?" I ask crying as she cleans away as much blood as she can and gets a pad to keep him from losing anymore. It's wide and deep.

"No." She laughs. "My guess is he hit his head pretty hard and gave himself a concussion which knocked him out cold. He probably cut his head on a rock...which could increase the chances of his brain swelling. There's a fifty fifty chance he'll live. I'm going to shoot for the good fifty."

"What are you going to do him?"

"He needs stitches honey."

"Is this a safe place?" I ask.

"No but it's very risky bringing him up there like that without any preparations. He will have more of a chance bleeding to death if we lift him up."

She gets the needle and the thread.

"When is he going to wake up?"

"Let's hope he sleeps through this." She cleans the cut with rubbing alcohol and douses him in peroxide. I keep my hand on his chest to feel the rise and fall which has gone back to normal and the soothing thump of his heart. She sighs sharply and mutters a swear and then gets tweezers and picks out pieces of rock. She uses rubbing alcohol and peroxide again, and then she picks out some more rock and repeats the process until she's satisfied before quickly stitching him up and placing a clean gauze pad on his forehead. She gets the gauze.

"Hold there there sweetie for me?" She asks.

"Okay." I do as she says. She lifts his head up and wraps the wound.

"Let me see your arm." She says.

She does everything to me that she just did to Peeta and I have to shove my hand in my mouth to keep from screaming from the pain. I'm glad he was unconscious for this.

"There." She smooths on the bandaid. Then she looks up at our family. "Please tell me you have a plan to get us up?"

Dad disappears and comes back with something. He's talking to all the men that are strong and gestures wildly with his hands before they all start nodding in understandment. It takes a couple of minutes but they toss down a rope attached to a tarp. It's tied strongly and I have no fear of this rope. "I want you two to find a way to get Peeta safely ok that tarp. we'll lift you one by one."

"And you are sure the rope won't break against the rock?" I ask.

"Positive."

Mom and I somehow manage to roll Peeta onto the tarp. Although we're sitting in snow and it's in the negatives, we are sweating from the extortion. Not because he's fat, because he's so fucking skinny it isn't even funny. It's because he's in great shape and, although he's skinny, he has a six pack and he is very buff. Every pound on my man is muscle.

Rye, Graham, Haymitch and Ethan all work together to lift Peeta up. They wait. "Katniss your next." Dad says. They toss it back down.

"Hold still." Ethan warns.

"Katniss just lay down and don't fucking move." Graham says. I do as I'm told, and after being lifted way too high for comfort, my feet hit solid earth and sit down next to Peeta who is still just laying there. They bring Mom up, and then we just stand there.

"Termites." Grandma says. "They took the house. It ain't safe."

"Where will we go?" Haymidch asks.

Everyone looks around at us. "We can go to our house." Mom says. "There's no snow there though..."

"Well for now it will have to do."

...8...

I don't know how he did it but Dad somehow managed to get a private plane. I sit on the ground with Peeta's head in my lap. He is still out cold and the thought that his brain could be swelling inside that gorgeous head of his makes me start to cry. Mom comforts me and tells me he's going to wake.

I have my head down with my hair hiding my face. I've linked my hands with Peeta and I don't plan on letting go.

We still got everything with meaning and our suitcases because Dad braved the house. Grandma is moving in with Prim and Mom for a while. I haven't been in California since her house isn't exactly livable.

"Katniss you look like you are going to die." Prim whispers.

I ignore her and continue watching Peeta. Every minute, I release his hand and move to feel his heartbeat. When I do this, I am relieved to feel it's going strong.

Didn't he tell me he wasn't going anywhere?

Is this going to be my nightmare? The one where he fell off a cliff.

Dad is the only one aside from Peeta who knows about the nightmares and what they're about because I woke up screaming one night and he woke me up. He asked me if I wanted to talk about it and I told him everything.

I release Peeta's right hand and use my arm to hide my face.

"Why don't you sing?" Dad blurts. I look at him. "Singing always makes you feel better."

"Sing honey. You sing as loud as you want to."

"We can all sing." Prim says. "If you know the words."

"You start us off." I mumble. "Try something we all know." She frowns and thinks for a minute or two. I already know what I'm gonna do when it's my turn.

"I don't know. You start off."

Heart beats fast

Colors and promises

How to be brave

How can I love when I'm afraid

To fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubt

Suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer

I have died every day

waiting for you

Darlin' don't be afraid

I have loved you for a

Thousand years

I'll love you for a

Thousand more

Time stands still

beauty in all she is

I will be brave

I will not let anything

Take away

What's standing in front of me

Every breath,

Every hour has come to this

One step closer

I have died every day

Waiting for you

Darlin' don't be afraid

I have loved you for a

Thousand years

I'll love you for a

Thousand more

And all along I believed

I would find you

Time has brought

Your heart to me

I have loved you for a

Thousand years

I'll love you for a

Thousand more

One step closer

One step closer

I memory hits me from my eighteenth birthday party.

Hearts beat fast

Colors

And promises

People are all freaking out. Mom insisted on inviting everyone from school. Peeta comes out of nowhere and pins me to the wall.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"You sang this song to be the first day we officially met." He leans close to me. I snort.

"I didn't sing that to you. I sang that because Cinna made me."

"Ah yes," he grins. "But you were looking at me." He pushes me closer to the wall and kisses me. "Therefore, you were singing to me.

We didn't make out but that would have been our first time if Johanna hadn't stopped us. I know it because I wanted to keep kissing him.

I have one thought.

He better wake up. He better wake up because living without him is inevitable.

If he dies I'll kill myself.

If my baby doesn't wake up, I'll lose my mind. Tears start to fall again.

"Let's do another song." Mom says.

...2...

When we got to my mothers house, I claimed my old room.

I must have fallen asleep, because it was right in the morning when we got her and the clock on my bedside able says it's three in the afternoon.

I didn't wake up on my own though, because Mom is standing at my bedside.

"Sorry to wake you honey but Peeta's up and we told him what happened and he doesn't remember it. We explained that you got stitched and he asked 'who's Katniss?'"

"He doesn't remember me?" I whisper, laced in pain.

"Then we said," she continues, ignoring my question. "You fiancé?' And he said 'oh shit! Katniss!' She pauses. "He's fine. He just has a moment because he hit his head really hard. He is really confused. He doesn't know why we're with him and he's flipping out because you got hurt. He keeps trying to get up and his family is here and everyone is holding him down. You need to go calm him down. He has a concussion and he isn't doing himself any good by trying to get up. He doesn't even know what happened."

I rush upstairs because in my life Peeta is my priority.

I slow down as I walk into the living room.

"Peeta, she's fine! Sit your ass down!" Rye snaps.

"I need to see her in the flesh so I can make sure she's okay! I promise I'll sit down after I see her!"

"Well you need to sit your ass down. She's right downstairs and I am not going to let her see you until you sit down!"

Rye's shouting now.

"Your not in charge!" Peeta shoves Rye and Graham steps in.

"Sit your fucking ass down." Graham hisses.

"Let. Me. See. Her." I can hear in his voice that he's about to punch everyone. Everyone being my whole family and his whole family.

Even though he has a a concussion, he still punches Rye.

"Oh!" Mom panics.

Rye's fist nearly collides with Peeta before I jump on him and knock him to the floor. "Katniss! What the fuck! Did you seriously just tackle me?"

I'm about to start going all bipolar on his ass.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, huh? You realize that he has a concussion and he just fell off a fucking cliff! Why would you even THINK that it's OKAY to punch him? Are you fucking stupid?"

"Katniss!" Peeta says. I look at him and I'm sure my eyes are black.

"Sit your ass down!" I snap.

I see his eyes widen and he sits down right away.

I snap my eyes back to Rye who looks terrified. "Now," I hiss. "I don't know WHAT your problem is, but you better fucking not lay a single finger on him again."

"Your like three years younger than me. He's my brother. I'm not going to let my brothers fiancé tell me what to do."

"Well if you-"

"Fiancé?" Peeta cuts me off. Everyone looks at him and he's staring at me intensely. "Fiancé? I didn't propose! We haven't even gone to college yet!"


	9. Chapter 9

I stare at him for so long that my eyes burn and I have to blink multiple times to seek relief, and while doing that, tears squeeze out.

He smiles lightly and beckons me forward with his index finger. I stand up and walk over to him. His smile makes me start to cry.

What else does he not remember?

When I stand in front of him, his hands land softly on my hips and he pulls me down to his lap.

He kisses my lips briefly and then kisses away my tears. "I'm sorry this happened to you." He whispers. He grabs my bad arm gently and kisses the wrapped up part, right over the cut. Then he laughs softly. "I'm just kidding by the way. The only thing I don't remember is you coming to California."

My anger soars.

"You lied?" I hiss.

He shrugs. "It was a stupid idea." I scramble off his lap. "Damn right it was a stupid idea! Why the hell would you lie about that! Since when is that funny? What's your problem?"

"I just-"

"Why the HELL would you even THINK that would be funny? Huh? What the fuck is wrong with you? Why would you do that? It's not funny Peeta, it's not funny!" My voice rose to a shout and dropped to a whisper at the end and when I said funny the last time my voice cracked.

And then the tears start flowing. "Why'd you do that Peeta, why'd you do that?"

He feels terrible and I can tell.

Good.

"I don't understand why you thought that was okay!" I shout through the tears.

"Katniss remember that you were crying because you thought he wasn't going to wake up? He's awake." Dad says.

He's basically telling me to obsess over him instead of scream at him.

Peeta looks like he feels so bad.

"Why'd you come here? What happened to you?"

"Let's go downstairs." I mumble. I'm not very happy right now and I really need to be alone but I want him with me.

Technically that isn't alone, but I want to be alone with him. "Okay." He agrees.

I pull him to his feet.

Mom looks over my shoulder at Peeta and then at me. "I'm coming down there in an hour to check on both of your stitches. You two better be decent. I don't want to be scarred seeing my daughter-never mind."

She is so embarrassing.

"If we were going to have sex I would warn you guys not to bug us." I grab Peeta's hand and pull him downstairs.

He lets me push him down on the bed, and he scoots back against the wall and pats his lap. I sit down and cross my legs. They're pushing against his abdomen.

"What happened?" He asks.

"What is the very last thing you remember?"

He thinks real hard.

"Waking up to screaming yesterday morning."

"Okay..." I bite my lip. "Well…you called me."

"I did? Are you sure?"

"Peeta, let me finish, okay?"

He lets out a long breath. "Okay."

"Alright…so…you called me and you were _really_ upset and you said you were leaving. You said that you weren't done with the fighting and you, Rye and Graham where going to your house for the holidays. I told you that that wasn't family. My grandma invited you to come to Maine and you did. When you got there I was arguing with Prim and you tapped my shoulder and I didn't know it was you and I kept ignoring. I found out it was you. We hugged for a while. Rye and Graham started arguing and you got upset and went outside. My Grandma's house is on a cliff and half of the porch hangs off of the cliff." He flinches, because I think he knows what's coming. "It's a rocky cliff and theres a ledge. We were talking when you looked all serious and you told me to move over. You wouldn't even move. You got really scared. I moved over and the side of the porch hanging off the cliff collapsed. You…you went with it. You hit your head really, really hard on a rock, but you landed on the ledge. I screamed and I went crazy and I climbed down the side of the cliff. I fell and cut my arm but you were out cold. Mom stitched you up and we decided to come here because it could get worse."

He stares at me. "I'm sorry." He whispers.

"Why are you sorry?" I search his eyes.

"I-I…" he probably doesn't even know. He sighs in frustration and then starts kissing me.

I try to use some willpower to get him to stop but I haven't got any.

I do end up finding some, though. "Peeta," I whimper, placing my hands on his chest. "We can't."

"I know."

"Peeta I was so scared." I whisper, and I must sound like a little girl. "I thought I was never going to see those blue eyes. You promised you'd be here and you almost broke your promise."

"Almost," He whispers. "But I didn't. I'm going to be here for you forever, even if my heart is no longer beating."

"Forever?" I ask. He places his hands on my cheeks.

"Forever, Katniss. I promise."


End file.
